"Is everyone ready? Did we forget anyone?" you anxiously check faces in the dark, making sure that everyone is accounted for and everyone has taken their seat on the big chairs you had so feverishly carried up the blasted stairs. Everyone had to be in their positions... or at least, in this case... everypony.
It's almost been a year now since first contact with Equestria was established... and you had been the diplomat sent to take care of negotiations. That was almost a year ago, but the memory still brings a smile back to your face.
You had not been happy about it. A race of colorful, magical ponies... the first time they told you about it you had almost smacked them up the back of their heads for telling you such a load of bull... But how wrong had you been in your assumptions. What you thought would turn into a year of lost efforts and time had turned into something entirely different.
It had been a year of wonder, discovery and learning. There had been many misunderstandings on both sides, but ever so slowly the relationship between the two nations continued to blossom. And how many new friends you had made... each so very different in their traits and experiences, yet each so easily liked; Celestia, Luna... Twilight and her friends. They had given you the most amazing year of your life.
Sure, there had been ups and downs, magical mishaps and near catastrophes... but in the end, everything always went fine.
"Settle down there partner. We're all accounted for." Applejack gives you a wondrous look. "Why are you so excited to get us up here anyway?" she takes a look over the city below. "I mean, it's a good lookout, I'll give you that. But it's also kind of chilly..."
"I am sure we will find out once we all settled down." Celestia speaks up with the kindest of voices, but you can easily tell she is just as curious about why you led the lot of them up to the roof of the largest building around... in the middle of the night no less.
"I too, am sceptical to see what he will do up here that he can not do inside." Luna remarks with a dry voice but clearly fails to hide her curiosity.
"I just hope he does it fast..." Spike complains. "I'm starting to freeze!"
"Okay. Okay..." you finish your count. "Everyone is here." A quick check of your watch tells you it's not a minute too early too. "They should start any second."
The work you had put into this had been indescribable. Finding a city big enough and willing to partake in this mad plan of yours... making sure nobody would start before the actual time had come, finding a good excuse for all of them to come with you to your country... not to mention getting them up on the damn roof under a pretense that would likely only have gotten you weird stares from other humans. There had been many sleepless hours on your behalf. Weeks of preparations and careful planning would find their crescendo in this one, single moment.
Rainbow Dash gives you that look she always makes when she thinks you've lost your mind. "What should start any..."
You hold up a finger to shush her; A gesture that had served for much confusion the first time you had used it. You don't have time to see her make that pouting face of hers, as adorable as it was; Your eyes are peeled to the clock on your wrist."Three... two... one..." the clock strikes twelve. "And here we go."
All present, ponies, alicorns and dragon included turn their heads in wonder as a single light detaches itself from the seemingly sleeping city below and shoots towards the sky... only to disappear again after another second.
"What is..." Twilight never finishes her questions... A flash of light bearing golden and red colors explodes in the sky, a glittering flower lighting up the horizon for a single second before the bang reaches your ears... and the flower of light dies again.
All of their eyes are fixed where a moment ago the spectacle of light had been, all gasping in wonder and wordless at the beauty that had just erupted in front of them. "This..." you give them a warm smile. "Is my way of saying thank you for a wonderful year... this is how we celebrate the new year." you raise your arms upwards.
Behind you, the vast, sleeping city turns to life... as if the first light had awakened it from its slumber... Hundreds and hundreds of lights start their journey from the ground and towards the air, each of them carrying the birth of a flower of light and fire within them. Cracking sparks, lights of every color imaginable, fountains of light...
Everywhere... to the end of the horizon, fireworks fill the night sky and turn night into day, the rumble of a thousand rockets exploding continuously rolling across the horizon like endless thunder.
Even for you, it still carries that magic... no matter how many years come and go, it still make you happy to watch them.
And they... the ones that had been with you for the past year?
Their eyes are open, filled with wonder and the reflection of the countless stars bursting to light before their eyes. Everywhere you look, you see wonder. You see tears of joy in the eyes of those you had least expected to cry, you hear cheers and laughter from those otherwise so calm, collected or frightful... and awestruck silence from those who had never been short of laughter or words.
They are captured by the beauty of this one, single moment... joined together in their wonder, but each of them lost in their own world of light and colors.
It is the best sight of them all. And as you continue to watch the wonder dance over their faces, hear their gasps of joy and amazement... You no longer really care about the firework that continues for what seems to be an eternity... this moment was already as good as it could be.
This had been, a good year.
Author's Note
Happy new year, everybody!
